Fuse-carrying connecting device for electrical conductors.



F. N. WAKE.

FUSE CARRYING CONNECTINC DEVICE FOR ELECTRICAL Co-NDUCIORS. APPLICATION FILED 0CT.12.1914.

l 1,153,657. PatenIedsepI. 14, 1915.

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,FREDERICK N. WAKE",'OFI NEW YORKN. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 HIMSELF, STERETT R.

PREVOST, J'. MAXWELL. COOTE, AND-EDWARD E'FISHER, TRADING UNDER THE l NAME 0F THE SPECIALTY DEVELCPMENT C0., 0]?A NEW YORK, N. Y.

FUSE-CARRYING CONNECTING DEVICE FOR ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS.

T0' all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK N. WAKE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in the` borough of the Bronx, city of New York, county of Bronx, State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fuse-Carrying 'Connecting Devices for Electrical Conductors, of which the'following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a simple and efficient electric line wire connector carrying an internal safety fuse and adapted for coupling ends of line wire sections by use of ordinary contact clamps and without using solder, and also permitting quick and convenient renewal of the fusewithout injury to thel connector casing or fuse plugs or to the end caps to which the sections.

the casing when they have screw-connection with the end caps while the caps have screwconnection with the casing, and said detent means are arranged also to preferably relieve 'the fuse of endwise pressure when opposing contacts' are forced together. The end caps also may bein-two parts comprisingl a body or ferrule removably tted to the casing and a head or disk portion relatively movable on the ferrule, as by a screw connection therewith, and forming a contact which thus may be forced into intimate electrical connection with the opposed fusecarrying plug contact'. The fuse also pref-y erably has readily detachable connections at opposite ends with the opposite end contact,`

plugs of the device. A gas generating substance also is provided in the .fuse chamber to smother or extinguish the electric arc '-,lame should the Jfuse be burned out, all as "Hereinafter described and claimed.

fri the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of an improved connector' Fig. 2, an end view Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented sept. 14, 1915.

Application lcd *October 12, 1914. Seril No. 866,235.

the connector casing: Fig. 6, a perspective view of one of the fuse plugs: Fig. 7, a side elevation of the fuse with one of its end heads in section.

Referring first more particularly to Figs.

1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, of the drawings, the numeral 1, indicates the fuse which preferably has fixed opposite end heads, .2, 3, each having and external 'screwthread 4 adapted to engage threads formed in the inner parts of the two opposite contact plugs 5, 6. Each of these plugs has near its outer and preferably tapei-ed end two oppositely disposed transverse slots 7, 8 receiving opposite limbs 9, 10 of a U-shaped key device 11. This key enters transverse end notches 12 made in the connector casing 13 and the key limbs abut end shoulders 14 of said notches whereby the key prevents the plug 5 or 6 from turning in the casing when a central externally threaded stud 15 fixed to the end wall of the cap 16 is screwed into internal threads 17 of the plug while an internal thread of the cap screws upon an external thread 18 formed on the casing 13. Said key device may have any other form serving its intended purposes. It will be understood that the plugs 5, 6 are first screwed upon the end heads 2, 3 of the fuse 1. and that the united parts 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 are then slipped into the casing and the keys 11 then are entered into the plug slots 7 8`and casing notches 12 so that the opposite ends of the keys then lie within the bases of the casing threads 18 to permit the caps 1G to make the, above named screw connections with the plugs and the casing, the threads of the plugs and caps being properly proportioned to allow their above named screw engagement. The keys 11 thus lock the fuse-carrying plugs 5, 6 nonrevolubly in the connector casing 13 and permit quick and positive simultaneous screw connection of the caps 16 to both the plugs and the casing, and, as the caps are lll screwed herne to make reliable electrical contact between them and the plugs and the fuse, the keys ll by supporting the fuse plugs 5, 6 in 'the casing notches l2, entirely relieve the fuse itself of any damaging endwise pressure as the opposing contacts are forced together. Any suitable llame-sullocating powder or compound 19 may be lilled into the casing i3 around the -fuse l to eX- tinguish the arc should the fuse be burned out by excessive electric current. fitter the direct line clamps (not shown) are removed trom the end caps 16, the latter may be un screwed thereby exposing the fuse plugs and keys. The plugs 5, and the keys ll then are slipped `from the casing to allow substitution tor a burnt out fuse ot a new fuse which may quickly and easily be done by unscrewing the old fuse heads 2, 3 trom the plugs 5, 6 and screwing the plugs upon the heads 2, 3 of a new t'use, and then inserting the connected fuse and plugs into the casing 13 and applying the keys ll and linally screwing the cap studs l5 into the plugs while the caps screw upon the casing, and all Without using soldered jointsbetween the casing and the caps or between the fuse and the connected plugs or between the line wires and the casing. Electricaly circuit 1s formed through the w1re-connect-- ed clamps to the end caps 16, the plugs 5, 6 and the fuse heads 2, 3 to and through the fuse 1. y f

In the desirable construction shown in l*` ig. 3 of the drawings, the end cap is 'formed ot a clamp-connecting tubular body or ferrule portion 2O internally threaded at 21 for its whole length and a separate head or disk portion 22 externally threaded to engage the ferrule threads 21. The stud 15.

is here fixed to the disk 22 which at any time may be screwed inward to force it into intimate unvarying electrical contact with the adjacent key-sustained fuse contactplug '5 or 6 and without detaching or in any way disturbing the electric line wire connections with the cap terrule 20 and while the fuse l is held under proper tension and is relieved by the key` 11 from damaging endwise pressure. Fig. 3 also shows that instead ot using a granular arc-smothering substance 19 in the casing 13 (as shown in Fig. l), the fuse itself may be coated or covered by a paste composition 23 which, in presence ot the heat developed by burning out of the fuse. will produce a gas that acts to extinguish the arc.. An example of such acomposition is as follows:-lortland cement, l part; calcium bicarbonate, 8 parts; borax, l parts: asbestos-powder, 4 parts. This composition in or about the proportions stated, and iu either the form of the paste 23 applied directly to the fuse or in the form of a powder filled into the casing chamber around the fuse, has been shown by experi* ment to be eihcient in. use. When the fuse burns out, carbonio acid gas is generated 'from the powder i9 or paste 23 1n the casing Yfuse chamber and acts to smother the flame ot the arc.

Should ventilation ot the connector casing 13 be desirable or necessary, one or 'more small ventilating holes or slots 24: may be made in the casing.

ln all above described `forms of this improved connector device 'the electrical engagement otl all contacts is unvarying and positive and therefore the device is not subject to change or disorganization in use and it may be made at low cost and sold at a reasonable price. Furthermore, the construction permits use of connector casings i3 and end caps thereon ot any prescribed standard necessary lengths or dimensions, and all parts are interchangeable thereby 'promoting cheap original manufacture and easy subsequent repair of all parts of the connector device.

l claim:

l. A fuse connector device comprising a casinghaving external end threads and end notches, removable end plugs in the casing having oppositely disposed transverse slots and a central internally threaded aperture, a fuse connected in circuit with opposite end plugs, keys entering the casing notches and plug slots and preventing independent turning of the plugs in the casing, and end contact caps having internal threads litting the casing threads, each end cap also having an externally threadedccntral stud adapted to the internally threaded aperture ol the corresponding plug, substantially as described.

2. A fuse connector device comprising a casing having external end threads and end notches, removable end plugs in the casing having oppositely disposed transverse -slots and a central internally threaded aperture, a fuse connected in circuit with opposite end plugs, keys entering the casing notches and plug slots and preventing independent turning of the plugs in the casing and relieving the fuse ot endwise pressure when opposing contacts are forced together, and end contact caps having internal threads fitting the casing threads and an externally threaded central stud adapted to the internally threaded aperture of the corresponding plug, substantially as described.

3. A fuse vconnector comprising a casing, end plugs therein, a fuse connected in circuit with opposite end plugs, said casing having end notches and the plugs having opposite transverse peripheral slots, U-shaped one-piece key devices having key limbs entering the casing notches and plug slots and preventing independent turning of the plugs in the casing and removable end contact caps simultaneously engaging the plugs land the casing and adapt-ed for electrical connection 'with attachments to line wire sections, substantially as described.

l. A fuse connector device comprising a casing, end plugs therein, a fuse 'connected in circuit with oposite end plugs, said casing having en` notches and the plugs having opposite transverse peripheral slots, U-shaped one-piece key devices having key limbs entering the casing notches and plug slots and preventing independent turning of the plugs in the casing and relieving the fuse of endwise pressure when opposing contactsl are forced together, and removable end contact caps simultaneously engaging the plugs and the casing and adapted for electrical connectionv with attachments to line wire sections, substantially as described. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

FREDERICK N. VAKE.

Vitnesses STERETT R. Pnnvos'r, LEON HOAGE. 

